Torpedo control system



1961 A. F. BENNETT TORPEDO CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 14. 1953 s i 2 5 5558. il||||| a n u; NW N 11.4. llllllll Ill]- 6528 536 $831 QZEMEZ m K KN m RT B m M fi R Wu H a 4 m mmoaomz mk hm 3,005,434 TORPEDO CONTROL SYSTEM Arthur F. Bennett, Berkeley Heights Township, Union County, N.J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Apr. 14, 1953, Ser. No. 348,663 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-20) The invention relates to improvements in acoustically controlled self-propeller vehicles and more particularly to a two-speed acoustically steered submarine torpedo provided with an automatic sound intensity controlled speed selector.

The effective operating range of an acoustically steered automobile torpedo is limited by self-noise generated by the torpedo itself, due to cavitation, the running of its machinery and the flow of water over its hull surface. The lower the speed of an acoustic torpedo, the less its self-noise will be, and the more effective its steering in response to weak acoustic signals, such as those coming from a distant or slowly moving target. However, when the target is nearby or traveling at a higher speed, and as a result the acoustic signals therefrom are relatively strong, an acoustic torpedo is generally more eifective if operating at its maximum speed, regardless of the usual increase in self-noise generated thereby, inasmuch as the chance of overtaking the target before exhaustion of the torpedo power supply is maximized.

An important object of the invention is to provide an acoustic torpedo with a propulsion system automatically controlled to drive the torpedo at low speed to minimize its self-noise when acoustic signals from the target are Weak or absent as during target search, and at full speed when the intensity of acoustic signals from the target exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an acoustic torpedo with an electric-motor-driven propulsion system energized by a current source automatically controlled to drive the torpedo at reducedior fullspeed depending on the levelof sound coming from the target.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

The single figure is an electromechanical diagrammatic view of the sound-controlled speed-selective torpedo propulsion system.

In the drawing which for the purpose of illustration shows only a preferred embodiment of the invention, in this instance as applied to a torpedo having active or passive acoustic homing control in course only, the torpedo is represented diagrammatically and fragmentarily at 5, including a course steering rudder 6 journailed for angular deflection relative to fixed rudder 7 and adapted to be operated, through any linkage means 8 here indicated schematically, by any suitable control means 9 such as the solenoid arrangement shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,382,058 entitled Torpedo, issued August 14, 1945 to M. I. Hull, or that shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,409,632 entitled Guiding Means for Self-Propelled Torpedoes, issued October 22, 1946 to R. W. King, or by any other suitable means such as a rudder-positioning motor and relay control therefor as shown in U.S. Patent No. 1,312,510 entitled Sound Controlled Dirigible Torpedo, issued August 12, 1919 to G. Baker. The numeral 10 generally designates the acoustically controlled propulsion system including a propeller 11 mounted on a shaft 12 driven by an electric motor 13. Depending on the position of relay armature 14, the motor 13 is energized for low speed operation by a voltage source 15 nited States Patent alone through conductor :16 and relay contact 17, or for full speed operation by voltage source 15 in series with another voltage source 18 through conductor 19 and relay contact 20. A relay armature spring 21 urges the armature 14 toward its position of engagement with contact 17 for initial low speed operation of the motor.

The armature 14 and spring 21 are parts of a relay 22 adapted, upon energization by an electric signal of predetermined strength, to swing the armature against the resistance of the spring 21 into the broken line position of engagement with contact for full speed operation of the torpedo.

The acoustic signals from the target are converted by an electroacoustic hydrophone or transducer 25 (which may be of well-known conventional type having two or more sections for purposes of determining target direction, for example as shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,433,991

. entitled Bearing Deviation Indicator, issued January 6,

1948 to M. H. Hebb) into electric signals of corresponding amplitude and frequency characteristics, which are processed by a receiver 26 to provide control signals for the steering circuits 27 to correspondingly energize relay 22 when the intensity of the target signal as received reaches or exceeds a suitable threshold value such that the target signal can then be discriminated from the increased level of background noise which would and does occur at the higher torpedo speed. Simply by way of example to indicate typicallysuitable equipment and circuitry, the above-mentioned patents to Hull and King illustrate arrangements of transducers and receivers as employed to provide control signals corresponding to target direction. Energization of relay 22, in response to target signals of suitable intensity to be discernible under high-speed torpedo conditions, merely requires that receiver 26 be designed to provide a relay control signal corresponding to the said target signal intensity, typical means for providing such relay control signals being illustrated in the above-mentioned patent to Hull and in U.S. Patent No. 1,137,222 entitled Torpedo and Other Submarine Apparatus, issued April 27, 1915 to K. 0. Leon, in these instances utilized for torpedo-launching control. Any other, technique for providing such a relay control signal may of course be employed in the described combination, for example the conventional technique of combining the several signals delivered by the transducer means and deriving therefrom a relay control signal corresponding to target signal intensity. Relay 22 may of course be simply of conventional type which inherently require an energizing current or control signal greater than a predetermined threshold value for relay operation to take place.

The operation of the system will now be briefly described. Upon launching of the torpedo, assuming the target distance is such that the level of sound reaching the torpedo is near the limiting eifective range or some what beyond it, the torpedo will run for a time at slow speed, slowly overhauling the target, until sufiicient target sound level is vailable to actuate the relay and thereby cause the torpedo to run full speed. Thus, the torpedo operates at the end of a long pursuit run the same as a conventional acoustic torpedo. The torpedo also runs at full speed like a conventional acoustic torpedo from the beginning of a short run in pursuit of a not distant submarine or other target making good speed and thereby generating acoustic signals strong enough to actuate the relay. Unlike the conventional constant high speed acoustic torpedo, however, the present two-speed torpedo by low speed operation extending the effective range of its acoustic equipment is capable of overhauling a target running at reduced speeds usually associated with successful evasive tactics.

Clearly the principle of operation of the hereinbefore described invention is applicable with advantage to acoustic torpedoes whether the sound reaching the transducer originates in the target itself or is transmitted from the toipedo and merely reflected from the target as an echo. It is also clear that the acoustic homing equipment of the torpedo may be of the type exerting control of the steering circuits 27 in response to difierences in intensity or differences in phase of sound waves reaching spaced sections of the transducer 25.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a self-propelled vehicle of the type equipped with an electric drive motor and means operative after launching said vehicle for automatically steering said vehicle toward a target in response to detected acoustic wave energy coming from the target, said means including a transducer and receiver which converts said acoustic wave energy into an electric signal having an intensity varying with the strength of said acoustic wave, in combination therewith a first circuit connectible with the motor for reduced speed operation thereof, a second circuit connectible with the motor for full speed operation thereof, and means normally connecting said first circuit for said reduced speed operation and operative, in response to said electric signal when it exceeds a predetermined intensity, for disconnecting said first circuit and connecting said second circuit for full speed operation of said motor during the running of said'vehicle.

2. In a self-propelled vehicle of the type equipped with an electric drive motor and means operative after launching said vehicle for automatically steering said vehicle toward a target in response to detected acoustic wave energy coming from the target, said means including a transducer and receiver which converts said acoustic wave energy into an electric signal having an intensity varying with the strength of said acoustic wave, in combination therewith, a first circuit including a source of power to operate said motor at a relatively low speed after launching, a second circuit including asource of power to operate said motor at full speed after launching, means operative after launching said vehicle for normally closing said first circuit for low speed enregization of said motor and operable, in response to said electric signal when it exceeds a predetermined intensity, for

opening said first circuit and closing said second circuit for full speed operation of said motor.

3. In a submarine torpedo equipped with propulsion mechanism and means operative after launching said torpedo for automatically steering said torpedo toward a target in response to detected acoustic wave energy coming from the target, said means including a hydrophone and receiver for converting said acoustic wave energy into an electric signal having an intensity varying with the strength of said acoustic wave, in combination therewith, a first circuit including a source of power connectible to operate said propulsion mechanism at a relatively low speed, a second circuit including a source of power connectible to operate said propulsion mechanism at full speed, and relay mechanism normally connecting said first circuit for low speed operation of said propulsion mechanism and operative, in response to said electric signal when it exceeds a predetermined intensity, for opening said first circuit and connecting said second circuit for full speed operation of said propulsion mechanism during the running operation of said torpedo.

4. An acoustic torpedo having a hydrophone and a receiver adapted to convert detected sonic target signals to steering signals characterizing target direction and a relay control signal variable in amplitude in accordance with intensity of said detected sonic signals, an electric driving means for said torpedo means for effecting homing action of the torpedo toward the target in accordance with said steering signals, a pair of voltage sources of different voltage amplitudes, a two-position switch for switching either of said voltage sources to said electric driving means, and a relay having applied thereto said relay control signal and mechanically coupled to said switch for connecting the larger or smaller of said voltage sources to said drive means in accordance with whether said sonic target signals exceed or are less than the high speed selfnoise of the torpedo.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,312,510 Baker Aug. 12, 1919 1,418,793 Hammond June 6, 1922 2,042,987 Hammond June 2, 1936 2,395,679 Neuhof Feb. 26, 1946 -4 s ent 

